Ewing Mayor Bert Steinmann sent a robo call out to residents this afternoon warning them that there has been a recent surge in auto thefts in the town. The reason? The mayor said residents are starting their cars to warm them up in the cold weather. They then go back inside and leave the vehicles running.

“The Ewing Township Police Department has asked me to urge all residents to keep their vehicles locked at all times,” Steinmann said, cautioning residents to remove all of their personal belongings and valuables from their vehicles before locking them.

“If you see any suspicious activity or persons in your neighborhood looking in or around park cars, please call 911 and let the police department know immediately,” Steinmann said.

Steinmann failed to mention another reason it is not a good idea to leave a vehicle running and unattended. Idling for more than three minutes is illegal in New Jersey and causes an unnecessary release of contaminants into the air.